The Alehouse, Reading

Another enjoyable visit on Sat. I've already done a review so here's just a list of what was on offer on handpump: West Berkshire's Maggs Mild, Leaning Lord, Mr Chubbs, also Coastal Angelina, Hereford Spinning Dog, Cotswold Olde English Rose, Little Valley Gustibus, Marlow Rebellion Mutiny, Westons Perry. Worth a visit? I think so. 27 September 2007 Managed to squeeze in few halves at The Hobgoblin after an afternoon at the Nag's Head, and glad I did. Attached praise persuaded me it wasn't one of the awful Wychwood creations such as the one nr Brixton and, although it must have a Wych history (see the ugly goblinesque caricature behind the bar, no not the barmaid – she was lovely), it was fortunately a different concern altogether. Things are a bit hazy but I believe there were 8 handpumps, happily all unusual suspects, and those I tried were all good. Away from the bar the pub itself is a little maze of nooks & crannies, some so small that the addition of a curtain here & there might make you think you were in a walk-thru confessional. Come, cleanse your soul, & have a good few beers whilst you're at it!

A well reviewed, traditional town pub which seemed little changed from my last visit, when it was The Hobgoblin, some twenty years previous. The place is very small and very woody and, on our Friday evening visit, very full. Beers on were: Dancing Duck Wot the Duck, Indigenous Double Warp, WBB Maggs Magnificent Mild and Dr Hexters Healer, Oakleaf Hole Hearted and Derventio Cleopatra. Everything tried was reported to be in decent shape and it's a wide selection although nothing immediately jumped out and demanded to be drunk. It's atmospheric and stocks a good beer selection. Two good reasons for a revisit.

Official site of The Alehouse - www.the-alehouse-reading.co.uk

Official site of The Alehouse - www.the-alehouse-reading.co.uk

This quirky high street pub was originally called The Cock Inn, before changing its name to the London Tavern in the mid 1800's. It was more recently known as the Hobgoblin before adopting its more prosaic current name in the last couple of years. You enter into a compact, bare boarded room with the servery running down the right hand side. The most striking feature is the vast collection of pump clips which cover just about every surface going, supplemented by a few excellent brewery signs, leaving you in no doubt as to the pub's ale credentials. The servery is fairly functional, although it does have a nice decorative mirror on the bar back. There are a few small tables along the front wall and there is also a small raised seating space opposite the bar, but most customers were stood in the limited space around the servery. One nice touch is the old stained glass sign for the London Tavern and an intriguing pub sign for 'The Campaign Arms', which was apparently a name that the pub was going to change to but never actually adopted. At the rear of the room, a corridor leads you through a most unusual series of tiny, panelled snugs, each with enough room for a single table and a small handful of punters. There are also some high stools along a ledge in a wider part of the corridor, but space is really at a premium. A few tables arranged out on the street can alleviate some of the crowding, albeit not on the frosty winter evening of my visit. There was no music playing in the pub and the TV screen was turned off, so conversation dominated proceedings. Signs on the walls explained that no mobile phone calls are allowed inside, which probably put off the group of trendy townies who walked in, gave the clientele the once over and then turned on their heels and left. The ale range was pretty extensive, with the handpulls offering West Berkshire Auntie Ruth's Winter Warmer and Tamesis Extra Stout, Ilkley Fireside Porter, Hop Back Red Ember, Otley Saisson Obscura, Rudgate Volsung and Inveralmond Pundie. Hop Back Advent Ale was available from a polypin at the end of the counter, whilst three real ciders and two perries were also on offer. A board listed ten bottled continental beers and amazingly they also cater for mead drinkers. I tried the Tamesis Extra Stout which was a great pint in top condition. I liked the quirky feel and unusual layout of this pub and whilst it's not the comfiest place to settle down for a session, the beer quality and lively ambiance raise this above most town centre boozers and I would be more than happy to return.

The Alehouse consists of a bar on the right hand wall that faces a small raised seating area on the left hand wall at the front of the pub. There is a fruit machine by the entrance alongside a rotating fan that was much appreciated on the recent hot Saturday afternoon that I visited. The walls and ceiling are adorned with old pump clips and the eight hand pumps supported by the bar were drawing an interesting range of ales with a leaning towards West Berkshire Brewery Beers. There is also a very limited draught selection which was being ignored by 99% of the customers. There was some background music playing off a jukebox, but to be honest I hardly noticed it. Beyond the bar area are some well used booths and snugs that are housed within worn wooden partitions. The toilets are located at the rear of a small beer yard that was full of used barrels and cleaning equipment. On the path outside the pub are a couple of picnic tables. I found the service to be friendly and would include this pub on any crawl of the area in future.

A curious pub - formerly known as the Hobgoblin until it had to change its name. Before that (1993), i believe it was the London Tavern, as some of the coloured glass will testify - back until at least 1879 (and may have been The Cock at some period before that). It is a Georgian terrace building, but the pub actually runs diagonally behind the building next door. There are patio areas. The interior has a small, main room that is in wood and white, with bits of other colours thrown in. There is a wood floor. The passageway between the two diagonal areas has several little booth/snugs, which are in wood. Wood settles supply much of the seating and a plethora of pump-clips adorn the walls. The TV wasn't on and the music was general and at a decent level. The service was fine and the place very bust with a mixed crowd (and the PG lot). Beer; usual tap stuff with the following handpulls (as per the Captain below) with St Austell Admiral Ale and the WBB's offerings were Coronation Gold, Jethro's Wheat Aeld and a decent Magg's Magnificent MILD. A great place and clearly a must do if in Reading.

A decent pub this one, with an excellent range of cask ales, ciders and perry. This is the only pub in Reading that sells mead. As it was such a hot day a lot of the customers were out front. This gave us a great opportunity to discover the rear drinking booths and snug. Beer guzzled here before getting our train were Moorhouses Vanilla Cream Ale, North Yorks Flying Herbert and West Berkshire Coronation Gold.

A small ,classic ale house with a lot of wood flooring and paneling,it's worth wandering around the back of the pub where there are several small one table booths and a rear snug with it's own fireplace.At the front there is a bewildering collection of pumpclips all over the ceiling,and a wide selection of real ale from the eight handpumps,which included three from West Berkshire Brewery,Moorhouse Vanilla Cream Ale,Ascot Anastasia,North Yorkshire Flying Herbert,Binghams Brickworks Bitter.Always worth a visit on any crawl around Reading,this always was and continues to be a safe bet for a decent pint.